Champion Gators Complete Comeback For The Ages

Fifteen minutes left in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game. Down 12. Zero points from senior All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr. Dead in the water.

Against the smothering defense of Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars, any other team would have folded under the pressure, but not coach Todd Golden’s Florida Gators. They have been here before.

The Comeback

Facing a 12-point deficit, their largest of the tournament, it was finally time for the sleeping giant to come alive. A rocket pass from Clayton down low for Alex Condon got the Gators an easy two. A quick steal into a drive from Clayton sent him to the line where he netted both. 42-34.

After Clayton checked off for Denzel Aberdeen, the junior guard from Orlando made an immediate impact with a tough drive and finish. Two straight bricks from Houston put the ball in the hands of Alijah Martin, who cashed a triple from the point.

Then, Tommy Haugh finished a ridiculous and-one layup for three more. 45-42 Houston. The Gators smelled blood in the water.

A ripping 3-ball from Houston’s LJ Cryer and a flurry of points from the charity stripe for the both squads kept the Cougars at an arm’s distance, but Florida’s ace — silenced for nearly 25 minutes — was ready to take over.

Clayton drove to the cup on two straight plays, drawing contact and draining the free throws on both attempts. Tie game, 51-51.

The Ending

Once Florida knotted the game with seven minutes remaining, it became a two-sided slugfest in the San Antonio Alamodome. Emmanuel Sharp and Clayton traded 3-point blows. Physical play sent both sides to the line. The game slowed to a crawl.

A perfect trip to the stripe for Martin sparked by Condon’s third steal of the game gave Florida its first lead since 8-6. With just 46 seconds remaining, the score sat at 64-63 Florida.

After forcing a turnover on Sharp, Clayton sent an inbound pass way too deep into the backcourt. In one of the most impressive shows of athleticism the entire game, Denzel Aberdeen booked it to the basketball, outran two Houston defenders and got fouled in the process. He went 1 of 2 from the line. 65-63, Gators.

It all came down to this. One final possession for the Cougs. Sharp flew from under the basket to the top of the key, caught a pass and spun to attempt a game-winning triple. The only issue — Clayton Jr. was in his face.

Sharp dropped the ball, and without being able to touch it again, Condon cut off Houston’s Ja’Vier Francis, collapsed on it and the clock hit zero. Orange and Blue confetti rained on the court.

This was no miracle. This was a case of a team proving that no matter what punch was thrown at it, the Gators would take it on the chin and find a knockout blow of their own in the tightest of spaces.